Copy-holder



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No. 444,612. Patented Jan. 13, 1891.

N lbto anew UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS K. S. MC-GRIFF, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COPY-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 444,612, dated January 13, 1891.

Application filed October 29, 1890. Serial No. 369,659. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS K. S. MCGRIFF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Copy-Holders; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings represents a perspective view of my improved holder, showing in dotted lines the sheet of paper or other article in position on the holder; Fig. 2, a side elevation showing the base in section and the spring-support or back of the holder in two positions in dotted lines.

The present invention has for its object to provide a simple and effective holder particularly designed for the use of operators of type-writing machines, books, sheet-music, photographs, or any other uses to. which a device of this character would be found of value; and the invention consists in a holder constructed substantially as shown in the drawings, and hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents a suitable base, which may be of any material and of any suitable design, and constructed in any manner found best adapted to the purpose, and, if preferred, may be weighted and provided upon its under side with rubber or other suitable supports a, to

' prevent marring or scratching the object upon which it rests. To this base A is connected, in any suitable and well-known manner, the back of the device, which consists of the two wires B O, said wires extending up at an angle to a perpendicular and also at an angle toward each other where they meet at their upper ends, as shown at b, where they may be rigidly connected by solder or by a clasp, or any other preferred means. From the point where the wires join they are bent outward and around to form an ornamental end 0 at each side of the device, which may be of any suitable design, and from this point the wire is bent to form a spring-support D. The wire fingers E, which may be of any desirable shape, are connected to the base A in any preferred manner, and may either be composed of two separate pieces of wire or a continuation of the arms or wires 13 O, thereby forming the entire holder, with the exception of the base, of a single piece of wire.

Although designating the arms B O as the wires, I do not wish it understood that the arms are composed of two separate pieces, but, on the contrary, a single piece of wire only is used in the construction of the arms and the spring-support, and also it is preferred that the fingers which hold the copy or other article against the spring-support should be of the same piece of wire. The fingers E may be of any suitable construction; but it is preferred that they have an upright portion (Z, and extend out at right angles thereto, as shown at e, and afterward bent or extend upward and over the lower portion of the springsupport D, and then inward, as shown at f, and terminating in an outwardly-curved end g. This form of finger I consider the most practical as well as simple, and would therefore prefer the construction shown; but I do not, however, desire to be understood as confining myself thereto, as the shape and design of the fingers may be variously modified and still serve the purpose intended-via, to retain the copy or other article against the support D,the fingers also forming a support for the lower edge of the article placed against the support. When inserting the copy or other article in the holder, all that is necessary is to first press back the support D, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, and place the article so that it will rest at its lower end or edge upon the angular portions 6 of the fingers E, when the holder D will spring back against the article and firmly hold it in place.

It will be seen that the device is very simple, as it can be made from a single piece of wire bent into shape and suitably connected to its base. This base, however, may be dispensed with in some instances, and in place thereof the holder may be connected to the type-writing machine, desk, table, or other object where it is desirable to have it, the holder being connected to an arm extending from the object or connected thereto in any well-known and desirable manner.

In the construction of this holder I desire it understood that I reserve the right to make any changes or modifications that would be considered as coming within ordinary mechanical skill and without departing from the principle of my invention.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The wire fingers E and arms B C, said arms being bent around and downward to form a spring-support D, which is located between the arms and fingers and capable of movement independent thereof, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The fingers E, having the bends (Z efand terminating in curved ends g,in combination with the arms B (J and the spring-support D, said arms being connected together at their upper ends and bent outward, as shown, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS K. S. MCGRIF \Vitnesses:

HENRY Lnscn, BEN. Bnoocr, Jr. 

